Do you still use the term "Master Bedroom" ?

[Deberg_1990]

Homebuilders scrap 'master bedroom' because of racist, gender-biased connotations


http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore...t.html?ana=twt


The “master suite” is being phased out — not from our homes, but from our lexicon.

A survey of 10 major Washington, D.C.-area homebuilders found that six no longer use the term “master” in their floor plans to describe the largest bedroom in the house. They have replaced it with “owner’s suite” or “owner’s bedroom” or, in one case, “mastre bedroom.”

Why? In large part for exactly the reason you would think: “Master” has connotation problems, in gender (it skews toward male) and race (the slave-master).

Enter the owner's suite.

“I imagine it’s not only a more accurate description but also a more politically correct term of art,” said Steve Nardella, senior vice president of operations for Bethesda-based Winchester Homes Inc.

Either way, the “master suite” has been linguistically shoved aside.

Winchester, Pulte Homes, NV Homes and Ryan Homes (both under the NVR Inc. umbrella), Van Metre Cos. and D.R. Horton Inc. have all replaced “master” in their floor plans, some more recently than others.

Richmond American Homes, Shulz Homes Corp. Sekas Homes Ltd. (in some of its models) and Quaker Custom Homes LLC continue to employ the word “master” in their designs.

In general, said Grant Johnson of Sekas Homes, “we’re using owner suite, but sometimes it will come through as master.”

Over time, “master” will be filtered out entirely, he said. The change is “just working through the industry, and finally, bingo, we got it.”

Randy Creaser, owner of D.C.’s Creaser/O’Brien Architects PC, said he ditched “master” in the early 1990s in his home designs. He vaguely recalled a few lawsuits brought against builders over the phrase. Pulte spokeswoman Valerie Dolenga said Pulte made the shift maybe three or four years ago.

Word of the change is now reaching the resale market, where “owner’s bedroom” is most commonly used in higher-end listings, said Brian Block, managing broker for McLean, Va.-based RE/Max Allegiance.

“The terminology has more of an upscale tone to it, particularly in some of the really large homes that truly have a large bedroom, sitting area, enormous walk-in closets, and lavish bathrooms,” Block wrote in an email. “Owner Suite conveys a sense of being distinguished, having ‘made it’ or ‘arrived’ rather than the everyday ‘Master Bedroom.’”

Lorraine Arora, vice president and managing broker of two Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. in Springfield, Va., and Kingstowne, Va., said older brokers tend to use “master,” because that is what they’ve always used, while the younger agents “want to be more politically correct.” Her office, she said in an email, is split between the two terms

[lcarus]

Jesus

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by blaise

It's more about sales than politics, I bet. They know what language the buyers in that market want to hear, and if they like hearing 'Owner's Suite" the agent or builder is more than happy to call it that.

"I refuse to buy this house until they stop calling the large bedroom a Master!"



Said no one ever....

[tooge]

Only when my sex slave bitch is in there with me

[siberian khatru]

Randy Creaser, owner of D.C.’s Creaser/O’Brien Architects PC, said he ditched “master” in the early 1990s in his home designs. He vaguely recalled a few lawsuits brought against builders over the phrase.

You have GOT to be ****ing kidding me.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

"I refuse to buy this house until they stop calling the large bedroom a Master!"



Said no one ever....

I'm not saying that. But it's about closing the deal, and if some stupid little phrase helps you close a deal faster than another then why would a salesperson care? They'll call it the Shit Stain Room if that's what buyer's like.

[Rain Man]

As long as you're the one in the master bedroom, you should be happy. It's the people outside the master bedroom who should be concerned.

[MahiMike]

Does this mean I have to quit calling the kitchen the 'helper's quarters'?

[Easy 6]

Well thank God we finally did justice to this travesty.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

remember when they tried pushing "BOUGHT" instead of "SOLD"?

[alnorth]

eh, "owner's suite" is actually a cool-sounding name. I don't like PC just for PC's sake, but if they are gonna let me call my bedroom the "owner's suite" now, I'm OK with it.

[ChiTown]

Master Bedroom? pfffft

I call it "A Place Where My Wife Turns Into A Whore"

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by alnorth

eh, "owner's suite" is actually a cool-sounding name. I don't like PC just for PC's sake, but if they are gonna let me call my bedroom the "owner's suite" now, I'm OK with it.

You are so predictable...

[Fish]

I call it the Business room. Cause that's where I store my business socks..

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by blaise

I'm not saying that. But it's about closing the deal, and if some stupid little phrase helps you close a deal faster than another then why would a salesperson care? They'll call it the Shit Stain Room if that's what buyer's like.

Yep.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

I think I'm going to refer to them as the reerun room in those markets.